middle
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++mid·dle1 /ˈmɪdl/ ●●● S1 W2 noun 1 CENTRE PART 中部the middle the part that is nearest the centre of something, and furthest from the sides, edges, top, bottom etc 中间，中央，中部，当中the middle of We rowed out towards the middle of the lake. 我们朝湖中央划去。in the middle (of something) Jo was standing in the middle of the room. 乔站在屋子的中央。 Those are my two brothers, and that’s me in the middle. 那是我的两个兄弟，中间是我。 The meat was burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. 那块肉外焦里生。 a huge hole right in the middle of the lawn 草坪正中的一个大窟窿through the middle (of something) The new road will go right through the middle of the wood. 新路将正好从树林中间穿过。down the middle (of something) Draw a line down the middle of the page. 在这页纸的中间画一道竖线。2 TIME/EVENT 时间/事件the middle the part of an event or period of time that is between the beginning and the end 〔事件或一段时间的〕中间部分the middle of events which took place around the middle of the last century 发生在上世纪中叶的事件in the middle (of something) I’m going to stay with some friends in the middle of May. 我5月中旬将和几个朋友住在一起。 He gets killed in the middle of the film. 在影片的中间部分他被杀死了。the middle of the night/day 一天的中午时分 I got a phone call from her in the middle of the night! 我半夜接到了她打来的电话！the middle of the week/month/year etc Everything should be sorted out by the middle of next year. 到明年年中应该一切都解决了。3 SCALE/RANGE 程度/范围the middle the level or position that is between two extreme positions, for example between the best and the worst 中等，中游 There are plenty of small houses for sale, and quite a lot of very large ones, but very little in the middle. 在售的小房子很多，大房子也有不少，但是不大不小的很少。the middle of In tests, I always seem to finish around the middle of the class. 我的测验成绩好像总是在全班的中游徘徊。4 body 身体 [countable usually singular] the part of your body around your waist and stomach 腰部，腹部somebody’s middle He was holding a towel around his middle. 他腰间围着一块毛巾。5 be in the middle of (doing) something BUSY/NOT AVAILABLEto be busy doing something 正忙于（做）某事 Can I call you back – I’m in the middle of a meeting. 我过一会儿给你回电话好吗——我正在开会。 I was in the middle of sorting some papers when the phone rang. 我正在整理一些文件，电话铃响了。6 in the middle of something if you are in the middle of something, it is happening to you or around you 在进行某事的；处于某事过程中的 At that time Britain was in the middle of a recession. 那时英国正处于经济衰退时期。 The company is in the middle of a takeover battle. 公司正在打一场收购战。7 in the middle of nowhere FARa long way from the nearest big town 在偏远之地的；在茫茫蛮荒中的8 divide/split something down the middle EQUALto divide something into equal halves or groups 平分某事物 → piggy in the middle at piggy1(2)
Examples from the Corpus
middle• But by the middle of the night, the alcohol will be metabolized and the rebound effect will set in.• It was very hard work and during the middle we had a water fight.• Time spent in taking stock is time well spent, even in the middle of a hectic day.• The group also is in the middle of a $ 45,000 project to renovate a pagoda in the ancient quarter.• Somewhere in the middle lies the case for change.• I had a spell in the middle of the season when I was useless.• The office block was in the middle of a hellish whirlwind.• Going through the middle of Tokyo in the rush hour can be a nightmare.• "Did you enjoy the movie?" "It was OK but I got a little bored towards the middle."• Gary rowed out towards the middle of the lake.• The state built 10 prisons from the opening of San Quentin in 1852 until the middle of the last decade.• It was the middle of summer.middle2 ●●● S1 W2 adjective [only before noun] 1 MIDDLEcentre 中央 nearest the centre and furthest from the edge, top, end etc 居中的，中央的，中间的2 TIME/AT A PARTICULAR TIMEtime/event 时间/事件 half of the way through an event or period of time 中间部分的3 scale/range 程度/范围 between two extreme levels or positions, for example between the best and worst, the biggest and smallest etc 中等的；中级的4. in your middle twenties/thirties etc TMCAGEabout 25,35 etc years old 25/35岁等左右5. middle brother/child/daughter etc BETWEENthe brother etc who is between the oldest and the youngest 排行中间的兄弟/孩子/女儿等6 middle course/way etc MODERATEa way of dealing with something that is between two opposite and often extreme ways 中庸之道，中间路线7. Middle English/French etc SLLan old form of English, French etc, used in the Middle Ages (=between 1100 and 1500 AD) 中古英语/法语等〔使用于公元1100至1500年间的英语、法语等〕Examples from the Corpus
middle• Life expectancy for all patients is middle age, and heart failure is the leading cause of death.• Secondly, she never lived to middle age.• A white carpet ran down the middle aisle of the church.• The middle assassin fired even as she dropped.• Instead, it was a real middle class, of diverse origins, pushed to the fore by changing conditions.• You'll find the scissors in the middle drawer of my desk.• It's in the middle drawer of the file cabinet.• Jane was wearing a gold ring on her middle finger.• The constituency's middle ground is a mess.• We also recruit some assistant food and beverage managers with experience directly into middle management positions.• In the organizational hierarchy of the past, middle managers were the people who remembered things, who passed on corporate culture.• There were three of children in my family, and I was the middle one.• I missed the middle part of the movie.Origin middle2 Old English middelmid·dle1 nounmiddle2 adjectiveChineseSyllable
the part the nearest centre Corpus is that
middle
mid‧dle1 S1 W2 /ˈmɪdl/ 
noun
1. CENTRE PART the middle the part that is nearest the centre of something, and furthest from the sides, edges, top, bottom etc
the middle of
We rowed out towards the middle of the lake.
in the middle (of something)
Jo was standing in the middle of the room.
Those are my two brothers, and that’s me in the middle.
The meat was burnt on the outside and raw in the middle.
a huge hole right in the middle of the lawn
through the middle (of something)
The new road will go right through the middle of the wood.
down the middle (of something)
Draw a line down the middle of the page.
2. TIME/EVENT the middle the part of an event or period of time that is between the beginning and the end
the middle of
events which took place around the middle of the last century
in the middle (of something)
I’m going to stay with some friends in the middle of May.
He gets killed in the middle of the film.
the middle of the night/day
I got a phone call from her in the middle of the night!
the middle of the week/month/year etc
Everything should be sorted out by the middle of next year.
3. SCALE/RANGE the middle the level or position that is between two extreme positions, for example between the best and the worst:
There are plenty of small houses for sale, and quite a lot of very large ones, but very little in the middle.
the middle of
In tests, I always seem to finish around the middle of the class.
4. BODY [countable usually singular] the part of your body around your waist and stomach
sb’s middle
He was holding a towel around his middle.
5. be in the middle of (doing) something to be busy doing something:
Can I call you back – I’m in the middle of a meeting.
I was in the middle of sorting some papers when the phone rang.
6. in the middle of something if you are in the middle of something, it is happening to you or around you:
At that time Britain was in the middle of a recession.
The company is in the middle of a takeover battle.
7. in the middle of nowhere a long way from the nearest big town:
They live miles away, in the middle of nowhere.
8. divide/split something down the middle to divide something into equal halves or groups:
We put all the money together and then split it down the middle.
The voters are split down the middle on this issue.
⇨ piggy in the middle at piggy1(2)
middle2 S1 W2 adjective [only before noun]
driving in the middle lane of the motorway
the middle drawer of the filing cabinet
2. TIME/EVENT half of the way through an event or period of time:
They spent the middle part of their vacation in Florida.
the middle part of the day
3. SCALE/RANGE between two extreme levels or positions, for example between the best and worst, the biggest and smallest etc:
a car in the middle price range
the middle ranks of the army
a middle-income family
4. in your middle twenties/thirties etc about 25, 35 etc years old
5. middle brother/child/daughter etc the brother etc who is between the oldest and the youngest
6. middle course/way etc a way of dealing with something that is between two opposite and often extreme ways
middle course/way etc between
The party is seeking to find a middle way between extreme right-wing and left-wing policies.
I try to steer a middle course between keeping control of the project and giving responsibility to others.
7. Middle English/French etc an old form of English, French etc, used in the Middle Ages (=between 1100 and 1500 AD)
| I |
noun1. CENTRE PART the middle the part that is nearest the centre of something, and furthest from the sides, edges, top, bottom etc
the middle of
in the middle (of something)
through the middle (of something)
down the middle (of something)
2. TIME/EVENT the middle the part of an event or period of time that is between the beginning and the end
the middle of
in the middle (of something)
the middle of the night/day
the middle of the week/month/year etc
3. SCALE/RANGE the middle the level or position that is between two extreme positions, for example between the best and the worst:
the middle of
4. BODY [countable usually singular] the part of your body around your waist and stomach
sb’s middle
5. be in the middle of (doing) something to be busy doing something:
6. in the middle of something if you are in the middle of something, it is happening to you or around you:
7. in the middle of nowhere a long way from the nearest big town:
8. divide/split something down the middle to divide something into equal halves or groups:
⇨ piggy in the middle at piggy1(2)
| II |
adjective [only before noun] Language: Old English
Origin: middel
1. CENTRE nearest the centre and furthest from the edge, top, end etc:Origin: middel
2. TIME/EVENT half of the way through an event or period of time:
3. SCALE/RANGE between two extreme levels or positions, for example between the best and worst, the biggest and smallest etc:
4. in your middle twenties/thirties etc about 25, 35 etc years old
5. middle brother/child/daughter etc the brother etc who is between the oldest and the youngest
6. middle course/way etc a way of dealing with something that is between two opposite and often extreme ways
middle course/way etc between
7. Middle English/French etc an old form of English, French etc, used in the Middle Ages (=between 1100 and 1500 AD)
